"Roger Zelazny & Robert Sheckley - Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

"Quite long," Azzie said. "It's good to see you again, Hermes. I wasn't on Earth when Christianity
defeated pagan-ism- other commitments, you know-but I do want to offer my condolences."

"Thank you," Hermes said, "but actually we lost nothing. We're all at work, all the gods. We move with
the times, and we sometimes hold honored positions in both camps - saint or demon. Does wonders for
one's perspective. There's much to be said for a kind of intermediate status."

"I'm glad to hear it," Azziesaid. "There's something sad about the thought of an out-of-work god."

"Never worry about us. I had my servant Aissa call you, Azzie, because she saidyoulooked lost. I
thought I could help."

"That is good of you," Azzie said. "Perhaps you could just fill me in on what's been going on since
Caligula."

"Well, in brief, the Roman thing collapsed under barbarian invasions and lead poisoning. The barbarians
are all about now. They call themselves Franks and Saxons and Visigoths. They have formed an empire
which they call the Holy Roman Em-pire."

"Holy?" Azzie asked.

"That's what they call it. I don't know why."

"But how did the real Roman empire fall?"

"You can look it up in any history," Hermes said. "Just take my word; it fell, and that was the end of the
Classical Age. The period we are now in is called - or will be, shortly after it's over-the Middle Ages.
You just missed the Dark Ages. We had some fun then, I promise you! But this time is good, too."
"What year is it?" Azzie asked.

"The year one thousand," Hermes said.

"The Millennium!"

"Yes."

"Then it's almost time for the contest."

"That is correct, Azzie. It is the time when the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness hold their great
contest to see who shall dictate the essence of human destiny for the next thousand years, and whether it
shall be for good or for evil. What are you going to do about it?"

"Me?" Azzie said. "What canI do?"

"You can enter the contest."

Azzie shook his head. "The representative of Evil is chosen at the Grand Council by the High Evil
Powers. They always play favorites, giving the making of the contest to one of their friends. I wouldn't
stand a chance."